california’s distributed energy future 2016

Greentech Media is partnering with More Than Smart to have actionable conversations on the future of electricity in our nation's most innovative state.

#CDEF2016

Introducing GTM's first state-specific conference on the future of the grid edge

As distributed energy gains steam in California, state regulators, policymakers, utilities and DER providers are shaping the rules, regulations, and markets that will ensure the transition is speedy and smooth. It’s a complex, exciting landscape, and today’s actions in California will undoubtedly influence tomorrow’s DER market across the country. We’ll be combining More Than Smart's CDEF network with GTM’s distributed energy market expertise. In addition, More Than Smart will be holding a half-day workshop on State Distribution Grid Planning for all those interested in starting, managing or enabling a distribution grid planning exercise like California’s in other states.

Speakers

Michael Picker is President at the California Public Utilities Commission. Prior to his recent appointment, Mr. Picker was a Senior Advisor for Renewable Energy in the Office of the Governor starting in 2009 and a member of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Board of Directors since 2012. He was a principal at Lincoln Crow Strategic Communications from 2000 to 2009 and a consultant at Kaufman Campaign Consultants from 2000 to 2002. Mr. Picker was deputy treasurer in the Office of the California State Treasurer from 1998 to 1999 and chief of staff to Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna Jr. from 1992 to 1999. He was deputy assistant for toxic substances control in the Office of the Governor from 1981 to 1982 and an organizer at the Campaign for Economic Democracy from 1978 to 1982.

Steve Malnight is Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, for Pacific Gas and Electric Company. He is responsible for developing, coordinating and managing policy with state and federal regulatory agencies, including the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He also is responsible for developing and filing rate proposals with the CPUC, and for oversight of the company’s gas and electric tariffs. Malnight joined PG&E in 2002 and has held diverse leadership positions within the company. After serving as Director of Customer Strategy and then Senior Director of Finance, leading the company’s budgeting and planning process, he became Special Assistant to the Chairman of PG&E’s Corporation in 2007. Subsequent roles included Vice President of Renewable Energy and Vice President of Customer Energy Solutions, an organization providing integrated energy solutions to help customers save energy and money. He was appointed Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs in September 2014. Malnight holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He serves as Chairman of the Board of the Smart Electric Power Alliance, an organization focused on facilitating electricity utilities in the transition to a clean energy future through research, education, and stakeholder collaboration.

Caroline Choi is the Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs for Southern California Edison (SCE). She is responsible for analysis of federal and state energy and environmental policies; analysis and development of a long-term environmental, energy and technology strategy for SCE; and directing case management for key regulatory filings. Prior to joining SCE in 2012, Choi was executive director of Environmental Services & Strategy at Progress Energy, where she was responsible for leading environmental permitting, compliance and policy. She served the company in various roles, including director, Energy Policy & Strategy, and manager, Federal Public Affairs. Choi has served on various non-profit boards and is a board member of the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, the National Forest Foundation and the California Advisory Board of The Trust for Public Lands. Choi has a bachelor’s degree in government from Dartmouth College.

As vice president of electric transmission & system engineering, Geier will be responsible for all aspects of electric transmission and substation operations, enterprise engineering and major capital projects.

Prior to his current position, Geier was vice president of electric operations overseeing the planning design and engineering of SDG&E’s distribution, transmission and substation facilities. He also is responsible for operating the transmission and distribution grid.

Previously, Geier held several management positions at SDG&E, including director of electric grid and distribution services, manager of direct access implementation, and supervisor of several SDG&E operations and facilities. Before joining SDG&E in 1980, Geier worked for Wisconsin Electric Power Co. in Milwaukee.

Geier currently serves on the board and is treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial County Red Cross. He is on the Dean’s advisory board at San Diego State University and the University of San Diego and is a member of Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and a past chairman of the IEEE power engineering society of San Diego.

Geier holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and power engineering curriculum from the University of Illinois, Urbana, and a master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer engineering curriculum from San Diego State University. He is also a registered professional engineer in California.

At the California ISO (CAISO), Thomas Flynn is the policy manager for storage and distributed energy resources (DER). Mr. Flynn leads CAISO policy initiatives to enhance the ability of storage and DER to participate in the CAISO market. Mr. Flynn previously held positions in energy consulting, with a major California utility (Southern California Edison), and with all of California's energy agencies including the California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, California Electricity Oversight Board, and California Power Authority.

Elisabeth Brinton is a trusted senior executive, thought leader and entrepreneur with a track record of successful innovation, execution, value creation and disruption across multiple industries, including Energy, Water, Food, Agriculture, and High Tech.

Most recently, Elisabeth was the Corporate Strategy Officer for PG&E Corporation, a F200 Energy Holding Company that has been a global utility pioneer in renewables, customer solar, T&D, and energy efficiency. She launched PG&E’s groundbreaking IOT “Grid of Things” business strategy, ran M&A and strategic investments, and led California’s exploration of new utility business models. Earlier, Elisabeth was the Chief Customer Officer of SMUD, running the $2 Billion Retail P&L for that vertically integrated utility, including complex 24x7, high-stakes operations and a team of 1,000 employees.

An entrepreneur at heart, Elisabeth has been in the C-Suite as an executive officer, CEO or Founder of four successful Silicon Valley start-up companies with technologies and products that were pioneering and disruptive for their time. Ventures include, Loudcloud that pioneered the ASP business model and the now ubiquitous Cloud, where Elisabeth was on the founding leadership team and ran global marketing, helping the company scale and go public in record time for a US company. Earlier, Elisabeth was the founder and CEO of her own technical product development and marketing agency where she created a business delivering over $100 million in value, serving both major consumer brands like Pepsico and Nike, and innovative start-ups delivering deep, pioneering work in food, agriculture and high tech, including the development of several patents and commercializing new category creating products like branded, value-added produce and early organic and specialty products from ice cream to natural sodas.

Elisabeth is a chemist and passionate creative, blending scientific/technical expertise with customer centric market innovation, business strategy and policy leadership. She is a top honors graduate of Principia College with a triple major across scientific and humanities disciplines and both a Harry S. Truman and Lincoln Academy Scholar. Out of College, Elisabeth worked for the US House of Representatives as a legislative assistant for a member of Congress and the House Judiciary Committee.

Rick Counihan is the Head of Energy Regulatory and Governmental Affairs for Nest Labs, the maker of the Nest Thermostat. In that capacity he is responsible for relations with the Federal and State governmental energy agencies.

Rick has over 25 years experience in the energy and utility fields, with employment stints in state, local and federal government, as well as the private sector. Prior to Nest, Rick was Vice-President of Government Affairs for EnerNOC, Inc., a leader in demand response and energy management services for the commercial and industrial sectors for 8 years. Before EnerNOC, Rick was Vice President at the Electricity Innovation Institute (E2I), a nonprofit research institute affiliated with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to build public/private partnerships to improve the nation’s electricity systems and an early research center on the Smart Grid. Rick has also been Vice President at Green Mountain Energy Company, a retail energy service provider selling renewable power. Rick worked in regulatory affairs for five years with Southern California Edison and was a professional staffer for the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives for six years.

Rick has a Bachelors degree in Economics from Pomona College and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University. Rick sits on the boards of the Center for Resource Solutions and the Association for Demand Response and SmartGrid.

Beth Reid is a proven leader with over 15 years of experience in the energy industry including senior management positions at multi-national corporations such as ABB and VECTRA Technologies. Throughout her career she has specialized in creating and implementing customized solutions for clients in regulated and de-regulated markets that incorporate both technological and non-technological components. Most recently, she has been focusing on helping clients develop cost-effective solutions in the areas of demand response, renewable resource utilization, and other environmental topics.

Beth is a results oriented professional with a record of implementing successful initiatives in the industry ranging from coordination of regulatory filings, to the development of innovative demand response programs to market entry for renewable generation resources. Having worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors, most recently as Managing Director at APX, responsible for the Demand Response and Professional Services group, the breadth of Beth’s experience enables her to bring a unique and valuable perspective to client collaborations.

Through her leadership complex initiatives have come to life. Olivine provides Beth with an opportunity to leverage these skills and capabilities to contribute lasting value to the shift in our energy use and sources.

Beth holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Washington and completed her undergraduate degree work with a specialty in Economics at the University of Michigan.